If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

Originally Posted by Ian

I disagree - owning is good because you can just pick your camera and lens up and take pictures any time you like. Later on, you can sell your lens and get back a larg proportion of what you paid for it.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

Does that make the argument any less valid ? Most of our purchase decisions are made with little regard to the economic sense of the purchase. You may be correct when you say that the rental business model thrives but it represents a tiny fraction of the sales business model ! Horses for courses - I prefer to own but like this service for times when I need something I don't want to buy. Gives me an option and allows me to choose and I like as much choice as possible.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

Originally Posted by joachim

Your argument is mostly about convenience not about saving money.

Well, yes - convenience has a value of course. But an important point is that lenses tend to retain a lot of value, especially compared to camera bodies, so it's an investment and you will get much of what you paid for a lens back if you decide to sell it later.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

Originally Posted by hschnee

If you really want to save money, you could not own or use a camera at all.

Whoa . . . I must have lost my mind there for a moment . . .

- Hal -

There is nothing wrong in spending money (within reason), I also own some camera equipment. One just has to be honnest to one self that when ever you buy something (even if it is a close-out or used bargain) that one has spent and not saved some money.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

All joking aside, I agree with your point, Joachim. It really is spending money, no matter how it's presented. I too scoff at TV and print ads that promise to save you money by offering a discount on a product because it should be so glaringly obvious that you're really spending money--possibly on something you don't need--just spending a little less than you otherwise might.

Still, I do think that this lens hiring service has its place and can be very valuable. If you need a piece of equipment for a short time, or are trying to decide if you really want to buy a particular lens, this service could cost you much less than just going and purchasing the item.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire UPDATE

Interest is slowly picking up even though the service has not yet been publicised widely. A press release will go out tomorrow.

There are some revisions to the pricing too. The 3, 7, 14, and 21 day rates previously published are unchanged, but we've decided to compute more sensible rates for other days. The price list can be downloaded from here:

The latest you can book these lenses for courier delivery before Christmas is before noon on Tuesday 22nd December, for delivery the following day. If you wish to collect your lens in person from our Hemel Hempstead office, you can collect on Christmas Eve.

We'd rather you were using them over the holiday period rather than them being locked away during that time!

* If you ultimately buy the lens you hired, within a month of hiring it, you can claim the hire fee back (up to 7 days) and this is in addition to any cash back offers that may be running at the time.

The latest you can book these lenses for courier delivery before Christmas is before noon on Tuesday 22nd December, for delivery the following day. If you wish to collect your lens in person from our Hemel Hempstead office, you can collect on Christmas Eve.

We'd rather you were using them over the holiday period rather than them being locked away during that time!

* If you ultimately buy the lens you hired, within a month of hiring it, you can claim the hire fee back (up to 7 days) and this is in addition to any cash back offers that may be running at the time.

Re: Olympus E-System lens and accessory hire

The special Christmas rate for Top Pro tele lens hire has now finished, but you could make a saving by booking and paying for a future hire before the end of tomorrow (Thursday) as VAT returns to 17.5% from 15% on New Years day.

We also have an E-30 body and E-620 kit (with HLD-5) added to our loan stock. get in touch if you are interested!